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Journal: all
Keyword: economic development
Total 48 articles
Article    23 Jan 2026
Susana Sobral, João Ricardo Catarino and Alexandre Morais Nunes
Sustainable development requires legitimate coordination of cross-sector trade-offs across environmental limits, social needs, and long-term economic viability. Because the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) relies on multi-actor arrangements, collaborative governance (CG) design features may condition Sustainable development requires legitimate coordination of cross-sector trade-offs across environmental limits, social needs, and long-term economic viability. Because the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) relies on multi-actor arrangements, collaborative governance (CG) design features may condition whether participation translates into joint decision-making. CG emerges from these dynamic strategies to produce public products and services with multiple stakeholders, aligning and integrating the various parties’ ambitions. Given the ongoing discussion on SDGs, marked by the complexity and interdependence of actors, innovative, collaborative solutions are needed to achieve the desired goals. This necessity is further underscored by introducing a goal related to partnerships and collaboration: “Partnerships for Development” (Goal 17), demonstrating that collaboration is a crucial element for sustainable development and the implementation of the SDGs and the 2030 Agenda. Thus, this study aims to explore how CG supports strategies to implement the SDGs. To this end, through content analysis, we examine four initiatives involving public and private actors related to the implementation of the SDGs in Portugal. We aim to analyze whether these meet the criteria of CG and the various dimensions anticipated for its process. Only one initiative meets the criteria for CG, and Portugal still needs an established collaborative governance arrangement for implementing the SDGs. Therefore, it is necessary to invest in collaborative arrangements initiated by public organizations that allow for participation in decision-making and greater consensus-building, preserving a real contribution to public policy and a better understanding of the impacts and benefits of collaboration. It is also necessary to discuss the need for metagovernance structures for sustainable development. or Access Full Article
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 5 (2026), Issue 1, pp. 70–83
129 Views36 Downloads
Article    11 Jan 2026
John C. G. Lee, Yeney Widya Prihatiningtias, Febryanti Simon and Samantha Siu Ling Lee
Indonesia’s National Free Meals Programme (NFMP) faces systemic challenges of fragmented implementation across agricultural, educational, and logistical sectors. These systemic challenges are compounded by inequitable reach in its archipelagic geography, where rural infrastructure gaps exacerbate disparities. Indonesia’s National Free Meals Programme (NFMP) faces systemic challenges of fragmented implementation across agricultural, educational, and logistical sectors. These systemic challenges are compounded by inequitable reach in its archipelagic geography, where rural infrastructure gaps exacerbate disparities. This study examines these issues through an integrated theoretical framework—combining Policy Transfer, Multi-stakeholder Governance, and Sustainable Livelihoods theories—using a mixed-methods approach that synthesises global policy benchmarks, peer-reviewed literature, and Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) alignment metrics. Key findings identify governance fragmentation, supply chain inefficiencies (notably 15–20% food spoilage in eastern regions), and digital divides as critical constraints. The research proposes a three-tiered intervention framework: (1) geospatially tailored procurement mechanisms; (2) incentivised corporate partnerships for cold-chain infrastructure; and (3) co-created R&D for climate-resilient crops. These strategies synergistically advance SDG 1 (Poverty Reduction), SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), and SDG 4 (Quality Education), demonstrating potential for farmer income gains, reduced child stunting, and improved school attendance. The study contributes to theoretical debates on adaptive policy transfer and offers Indonesia a scalable blueprint for integrated food-security transformation in archipelagic contexts. or Access Full Article
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 5 (2026), Issue 1, pp. 1–14
224 Views55 Downloads
Article    23 Dec 2025
Waleed Mugahed Al-Rahmi
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 4 (2025), Issue 4, pp. 329–352
465 Views81 Downloads
Article    26 Nov 2025
Kurt Orkun Aktaş, Ajda Zaim, Özlem Nur Aslantamer, Gözen Güner Aktaş and Hüseyin Emre Ilgın
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 4 (2025), Issue 4, pp. 256–284
671 Views115 Downloads
Review    17 Oct 2025
Jesús Huerta de Soto, Antonio Sánchez-Bayón and Philipp Bagus
This paper reviews the efficiency and sustainability of the management model during the COVID-19 crisis and beyond. There is a comparison between the centralized bureaucratic management versus the agile market alternative or spontaneous and flexible social This paper reviews the efficiency and sustainability of the management model during the COVID-19 crisis and beyond. There is a comparison between the centralized bureaucratic management versus the agile market alternative or spontaneous and flexible social coordination. This is a study of Political Economy, Management, and Health Economics from the perspective of Austrian economics, with special attention to the Spanish case. The analysis is based on Mises theorem about the impossibility of economic calculation under centralized coactive systems, and other economic principles. In this context, we also pay attention to collateral problems of the centralized and coactive management. Finally, we propose a solution based on dynamic efficiency and the constitutions of wellbeing economics based on digitalization. or Access Full Article
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 4 (2025), Issue 4, pp. 205–215
1203 Views330 Downloads1 Citations
Article    8 Sep 2025
Larry Dwyer
Across the social sciences, wellbeing measures are being developed to cover a more comprehensive picture of factors contributing to quality of life. However, ongoing neglect of the wellbeing outcomes of tourism activity has restricted the relevance Across the social sciences, wellbeing measures are being developed to cover a more comprehensive picture of factors contributing to quality of life. However, ongoing neglect of the wellbeing outcomes of tourism activity has restricted the relevance of much tourism research, practice and policymaking globally. These include failure to recognise human wellbeing as the primary aim of any industrial development, including tourism; adherence to a superficial conception of the nature of wellbeing and its measures; a failure to acknowledge that human wellbeing, beyond “needs”, is an essential component of sustainable development; tourism stakeholder adherence to a primarily static, rather than dynamic conception of sustainability; failure to distinguish between “weak” and “strong” sustainability; uncritical adoption of a pro-growth mindset that is steadily depleting and degrading the resources and the wellbeing of life on the planet; failure to incorporate wellbeing outcomes into tourism business mission statements; and failure to treat seriously the need for tourism degrowth at least for some sectors of the industry. To address such failures, tourism decisionmakers must incorporate stakeholder wellbeing outcomes into conceptual analysis, empirical research and policy assessment. or Access Full Article
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 4 (2025), Issue 3, pp. 192–204
1304 Views632 Downloads
Article    4 Sep 2025
Noha Emara, I-Ming Chiu and Sheila Warrick
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 4 (2025), Issue 3, pp. 174–191
1528 Views323 Downloads
Article    31 May 2025
Vassilios Makrakis, Nelly Kostoulas-Makrakis, Omar Ramzy and Mohammed Anwar
Increasing numbers of refugee children enter host countries’ public schools. Yet, most refugee children’s education is carried out through refugee community schools, mainly by unqualified teachers. This study examines critical elements impacting teacher training satisfaction, emphasizing Increasing numbers of refugee children enter host countries’ public schools. Yet, most refugee children’s education is carried out through refugee community schools, mainly by unqualified teachers. This study examines critical elements impacting teacher training satisfaction, emphasizing instructors’ preparedness and skill, and the effectiveness of training outcomes within a post-graduate program to improve education for refugee children. It supports the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG10, which calls for lowering inequality, and SDG4, which strongly emphasizes high-quality education. A sizable sample of 306 out of 386 individuals who had finished the RefTeCp capacity-building program participated in the study. These people worked in various educational environments, such as community schools for refugees and private establishments. The study guaranteed its legitimacy through a thorough reliability analysis and content evaluation. Multiple regression techniques were used in data analysis to identify the crucial factors influencing teacher training satisfaction. According to key findings, the efficiency of teaching materials and instructors’ abilities to manage blended learning environments substantially correlate and explain teacher training satisfaction. The study’s results highlight several essential facets of teacher professional development, such as focusing on suitable high-quality blended learning materials and resources to improve refugee students’ learning needs and experiences. Continuing teacher capacity-building interventions, and allowing refugee teachers to participate, can significantly contribute to reducing inequities and, ultimately, to a more equitable and just society. or Access Full Article
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 4 (2025), Issue 2, pp. 146–157
2141 Views389 Downloads
Review    21 May 2025
Hüseyin Emre Ilgın and Özlem Nur Aslantamer
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 4 (2025), Issue 2, pp. 122–145
2805 Views402 Downloads3 Citations
Article    3 Apr 2025
Martin Wynn and Peter Jones
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 4 (2025), Issue 2, pp. 95–107
2592 Views2871 Downloads
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